Twice a week weight lifting

I'm in mma and do hiit training Monday and Friday. Steady state cardio and abs on Tuesday and Thursday. I go to an hour and a half mma class Tuesday Thursday and Friday. Gonna add swimming on Saturdays to heal the joints and muscles. I just need to add a good weight lifting workout on Tuesday and Thursdays to maintain my strength. Anybody have a good set up they would do? Thanks.

I'm gonna try it tomorrow if I got the gas after class. Lifting doesn't tire me out anymore though but I've missed it a great deal

To do this properly you'll need a 1RM or a calculated 1RM via reps for your dead squat bench and press...The "5/3/1" sets are all sub maximal percentages of your 1RM -%10. So, it'll take a bit more reading possibly. I'm partial to 5/3/1 anything just because it's stupid easy and works. Other people may chime in with some good/better ideas.

To many compound movements will slow me down though. Unless I do them in a power form. Like squatting with moderate weight and jumping at the top.

Not necessarily, and too much steady state cardio can slow you down too by actually decreasing power output.

Keep in mind that power is a function of strength and speed. If you look at a single muscle fiber, it comes down to this: power = total tension developed X rate of contraction. As you increase your strength, you will increase your power up to a certain point. How strong do you need to be? Recent studies suggest that for optimal power development you should be able to squat > 2x body weight.

I think your concern should be adding too much muscle mass and moving up in weight class (if you compete). If this is the case then you should limit your volume, which if training is only occurring twice per week will be limited anyways.

Exactly. I am not sure your level of conditioning, but there isn't anything steady state about MMA fighting, and with practices, you probably can cut out those two steady state cardio training.

If you have two days a week to train with weights, make day one a dynamic full body days (lower reps, lower weight, and focus on the speed of movement) and day two a strength day (lower reps, heavy weight, longer rest periods).

That would be my advice. Spend that 20-30 minutes instead doing soft tissue and mobility/corrective work. If you are doing it for recovery purposes go for a leisure bike ride or walk as well. Continue with the hill and resisted sprints.

There is way too many misconceptions regarding what is effective training for MMA. Running is useful for discipline and weight control, but that's about it. Compound movements are not going to make you slow; they're going to make you stronger and will be able to move submaximal resistance (e.g. your opponent) faster. You should be doing mobility work as is so that base is already covered. That being said, 2x/week isn't going to be optimal for weight training for MMA.

There is way too many misconceptions regarding what is effective training for MMA. Running is useful for discipline and weight control, but that's about it. Compound movements are not going to make you slow; they're going to make you stronger and will be able to move submaximal resistance (e.g. your opponent) faster. You should be doing mobility work as is so that base is already covered. That being said, 2x/week isn't going to be optimal for weight training for MMA.

See that's where your point comes in that there are mixed opinions cause that's all my mma coach told me to do. I mean he isn't a personal trainer or anything but everyone has their own opinion. I'm just trying to put it all together I guess.

See that's where your point comes in that there are mixed opinions cause that's all my mma coach told me to do. I mean he isn't a personal trainer or anything but everyone has their own opinion. I'm just trying to put it all together I guess.

IME, MMA coaches are very, very uneducated when it comes to putting together an optimal template based upon the fighters strengths and weaknesses and most fall into the archaic myths that stem from boxing (e.g. weight training makes you slow).

Ok I gotcha. I have one question though. To increase punching endurance would a circuit once a week that includes landmines some sort of lat exercise and plyo push-ups suffice?

WTF is punching endurance? You need overall conditioning for MMA. Worry about your technique and power transfer as that's what's going to make you a more efficient fighter and, ergo, be able to strike more frequently.

If you want to be better at a particular skill (like striking), then the best way to do that is to practice it and very frequently.

Well I just know that you can be gassed cardio wise but if your muscles aren't fatigued you still have that punching power there. I'm just going off of what my coach says btw. I take his experience to account but at the same time I'm a personal trainer myself and some of the stuff goes against what I know to be true.

Well I just know that you can be gassed cardio wise but if your muscles aren't fatigued you still have that punching power there. I'm just going off of what my coach says btw. I take his experience to account but at the same time I'm a personal trainer myself and some of the stuff goes against what I know to be true.

If you're gassed, your power output/frequency is going to be lowered. You can still throw a power shot while fatigued, but it will be slower, sloppier, and less frequent. I think you have a great misconception on endurance for MMA.

Here's an example: let's take a box jump. In a non-fatigued state, you be able to jump higher and with a smaller rest interval compared to a fatigued state. Striking is similar in that there is an optimal technique and power output is closely related to keeping this technique. This is why it's so important to not have wasted motion while striking and to stay loose.

Like I said when it comes to mma I've just really been listening to my coach. So what do you think I should do? I train 3 times a week. Do very hiit circuits 2 times a week. Lift two times a week. Steady state cardio twice a week and do heavy bag training two to three times a week. What would you change in that